Joe Kinder Sends Two-Year Utah Cave Project

3/25/14 - Joe Kinder reported redpointing long-time project Maquina Muerte on March 21. The sport route is at the Cathedral, located near St. George, Utah. No word yet on a rating, but expect it to be hard. Kinder called it "one of the most finicky redpoints of my life" on Facebook, and he climbs 5.14d. Kinder described the process in an email to Climbing.

On first finding the route:
“I bolted the route two years ago after a trip from Spain. I returned to the Cathedral and immediately saw the line. It beckoned to me. I rapped down the wall and sure enough saw holds. I was blown away, so I returned the next day and bolted the thing in three hours, ground up, which was awesome to me.”

On the challenge of developing new routes:
“When you first bolt a line and start trying it, usually if it's hard enough it feels REALLY hard. The process from bolting to sending is massive and involves a lot of trial and error, holds breaking, beta solving, the mental game of what is possible, and the doubts. First ascents are another game in every way. The route developer has a completely different connection with the line and for me its a lot more emotional of a process."

On sending Maquina Muerte:
I could never foresee the amount of effort I had to put in, but I knew it was going to be challenging. The moves are amazing. The style is physical, muscly, and relentless. It's fully a Dani Andrada-style rig with burly climbing and pump. It never got easier. When I randomly sent it, I felt like my head was going to explode of my neck. It was utterly intense. I couldn't clip anything. I had to skip the last three clips and just balls out go for it. Thats surely a send I won't forget.

On what’s next:
Next is my Life Of Villains project in the Hurricave (near Hurricane, Utah), as well as a trip to Ely, Nevada. Then Australia for May and June!